title: Bilateral footdrop after treatment of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Footdrop designates weakness of the ankle as well as toes dorsiflexion. Peripheral causes of unilateral footdrop are well established. Bilateral footdrop originating from pathologies in the central nervous system are rare and include a number of unexplored etiologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case of bilateral footdrop is presented. The patient presented with a grade IV subarachnoid hemorrhage with intraventricular extension. He was treated with coil embolization of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Postoperatively, he was found to have weakness of both ankle and toe dorsiflexion. Findings on magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine were negative for abnormal cord signal, cord infarction, and compressive lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed parasagittal bifrontal and right greater than left convexity foci of acute infarction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central causes of acute footdrop are rare. However, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis, particularly in the presence of upper motor neuron signs on physical examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teufack
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosenwasser
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jabbour
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D000842:Ankle / Q000294:innervation*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy; D014034:Toes / Q000294:innervation*